Organizational citizenship behavior and job flexibility in Family-Responsible Companies: a study from the perspective of employee family situation

Abstract

PurposeThe aim of this article is to analyze the relationship between the personal life situation and marital status of the worker and how this relates to organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) and job flexibility. The study has been carried out with a group of Mexican employees from a commercial company located in the northeast of the México.Design/methodology/approachThe research is a nonexperimental empirical study using t-test, Levene’s test and Cohen’s test to analyze the significant relationship between the variables under study for 419 employees. The questionnaire was applied only once without a control group against which to compare. The study was carried out in a commercial company located in a city in northeastern Mexico, covering four municipalities in the conurbation area.FindingsThe research reveals that those workers who participated in the study and who have direct family responsibilities show greater OCB and value job flexibility more highly. The tests also found that a flexible working policy is valued by all those with direct family responsibilities, regardless of their marital status. It is also shown that there is a positive relationship between job flexibility and OCB, although not a strong one.Practical implicationsDecent work implies labor policies that support women and men to have an adequate work–life balance. Companies seeking work–family balance through the implementation of policies such as flexible working arrangements should consider the domestic background of their employees, as this has a direct impact on competitive advantage and is of importance when recruiting and retaining human talent. These findings may also be useful for companies interested in implementing flexible working policies to retain employees with family responsibilities who value the ability to reconcile work and family life.Originality/valueThis research demonstrates the relevance of OCB and job flexibility for employees. If the company wants to enhance OCB, they must consider that personal situation as well as the employee's marital status influences OCB. They should also consider that work flexibility is highly valued by those employees who have children or family dependents.